STATEMENT OF PROCESS

My journey begins with a photograph; usually of a place within nature with which I hold a connection. Working on MDF board I introduce acrylic paint, applying it impulsively to the surface of the wood in gestural marks, using layering techniques to slowly build up an image. Despite stemming from an initial photograph, my paintings often branch into the abstract and use paint as a means of exploration and play. Once satisfied with the arrangement of brush strokes and colour harmonies, I then bring in paint pens to introduce an element of graphic. I go straight onto the surface of the painting without preplanning, instead choosing to follow instinct, and once again using the initial image as reference. The implementation of a combination of graphic and gestural, works to spark a conversation on the surface of the painting. Occasionally using a roller, I will introduce an area of block colour to break up the surface. By using a roller I am able to obtain a flat block of colour, and can build up the paint to either create a translucency, revealing previous layers underneath, or can achieve a completely opaque area of colour. Through the combination of various techniques, I am able to create a playful dialogue on the surface of my paintings, with notions to colour theory and phenomenology.